Chapter 238: Ancient Soul Race
Before Shen Daoxing could speak, the man blurted out, his eyes fixed on him, "Your body is excellent!"
As he said this, an obsessed look appeared on his face. He twitched his nose and sniffed repeatedly at Shen Daoxing.
Shen Daoxing froze, completely baffled by the man’s intentions.
Just then, the black-robed man’s gaze fixed greedily on Shen Daoxing’s eyes. "I want it! I want it!"
"Huh!?"
Just as Shen Daoxing was struggling to understand what the man meant, the black-robed man’s eyes suddenly flashed.
Shen Daoxing felt a sharp pain in his head, as if a tiny Silver Needle had shot into his brain.
Suddenly, Shen Daoxing saw a pitch-black figure burrowing into his mind.
"I want it! I want it!"
The black shadow let out a greedy cry and shot straight toward Shen Daoxing’s Divine Soul.
Shen Daoxing felt his Divine Soul being torn apart as the black shadow completely enveloped it, attempting to devour it whole.
’He’s trying to possess me!’
The realization hit Shen Daoxing instantly.
But possession was a Divine Technique wielded only by mighty experts of the Celestial Balance Realm, a level above the Refining Dust Realm.
’This black-robed man’s cultivation is no higher than mine. How can he have such a bizarre ability?’
Shen Daoxing was horrified, but he had no time to think. The black-robed man’s Divine Soul was already constricting tightly around his own.
Shen Daoxing’s Divine Soul condensed into a tiny ball. WHOOSH! It slipped through a gap and, without a moment’s hesitation, shot like a brilliant streak of light toward the depths of his mind.
Within the Sea of Consciousness, all other abilities were useless; one could only fight with the Power of the Divine Soul. From that first instant of contact, Shen Daoxing had sensed the immense strength of the black-robed man’s soul.
He fled toward the depths of his Sea of Consciousness without hesitation, crying out in his mind, "Elder Blood Dragon? Elder Blood Dragon?"
But he called for a long, long time without receiving any response. The Blood Dragon was likely at a critical point in its recovery.
Shen Daoxing felt a wave of helplessness. But just then, a black shadow flashed before him—the black-robed man’s Divine Soul had already appeared in his path.
"Your body is excellent. I want it!"
The black-robed man let out a sinister cackle and lunged at Shen Daoxing.
Shen Daoxing’s Divine Soul coalesced and, with a WHOOSH, shot off in the opposite direction.
But the black-robed man’s Divine Soul was faster. It surged forward and enveloped Shen Daoxing once more.
An excruciating pain tore through him as his Divine Soul was ripped apart, as if his physical body were being violently torn in two.
An overwhelming sense of weakness washed over him, making him feel as if he might fade away at any second.
’Am I going to die like this? No, I can’t give up! I won’t accept this! My destiny is mine to control!’
Scenes from his past lives flashed through his mind.
He was the general who returned from the battlefield drenched in blood. He was the great demon who had slaughtered an entire imperial city!
He was the Evil Demon bent on killing and destroying everything in the world!
He was the Vengeful Scholar who had executed all the disloyal and corrupt officials in the world!
Everything he had experienced before was no illusion. It was his life, real and tangible—another precious experience granted to him by fate.
Having lived through three lifetimes, how could he be so fragile?
Suddenly, Shen Daoxing’s Divine Soul erupted in a blaze of light, expanding until it stood colossal, a true Heaven-Reaching Giant. In its eyes, the black-robed man’s soul was no more than an ant.
Shen Daoxing raised two fingers and casually pinched the tiny soul between them.
"!!! Huh?"
Before the black-robed man could even react, Shen Daoxing applied the slightest pressure with his fingers. The man’s Divine Soul shattered with a silent pop, dissolving into specks of black light that vanished without a trace.
Watching the darkness dissipate, Shen Daoxing felt a surge of lingering fear. ’To think that man possessed such a bizarre ability. Luckily, my Divine Soul is far more powerful than it once was.’
"That man was a descendant of the Ancient Soul Race. He possessed the innate Power of the Nether Soul, which is why he could attempt possession despite lacking the strength of the Celestial Balance Realm!"
The voice of the Blood Dragon suddenly echoed in Shen Daoxing’s mind.
"..."
Shen Daoxing was speechless. ’Elder Blood Dragon, you’re only showing up now?’
As if sensing Shen Daoxing’s thoughts, the Blood Dragon said calmly, "The path of cultivation is long and fraught with peril. You cannot always rely on me. You must grow on your own!"
Shen Daoxing understood. He clasped his fists and bowed to the empty space. "Thank you for the reminder, Elder."
At the same time, he made a mental note to be wary of the Ancient Soul Race.
"Shen Daoxing! Shen Daoxing!"
Suddenly, a soft voice called his name from outside his mind.
Shen Daoxing’s consciousness snapped back to reality. He looked up to see that Dugu Sheng had awakened from her daze and was now by his side, calling his name.
He glanced back at the black-robed man, who was still staring at him with wide eyes, his face almost touching Shen Daoxing’s. But now, the man’s eyes were vacant, devoid of all life.
Shen Daoxing reached out and gave the body a gentle poke. It immediately fell backward, hitting the ground with a THUD.
"I just woke up and saw him standing in front of you. Are you all right?" Dugu Sheng asked calmly.
"I’m fine," Shen Daoxing said, shaking his head.
At that moment, a dazzling beam of light shone down from the depths of the cave, revealing a majestic Celestial Ladder spiraling within it.
This meant they had both passed the trial of the 7th Floor.
"Let’s go," Shen Daoxing said calmly.
Dugu Sheng nodded.
Before they left, however, Shen Daoxing didn’t forget to search the black-robed man’s body. Unfortunately, he found nothing, much to his disappointment.
The two approached the Celestial Ladder and slowly began to climb. Their surroundings grew hazy, then their vision was consumed by a brilliant white light. When the world came into focus again, they had arrived on the eighth floor.
Shen Daoxing looked around. The area was a vast, empty black void, with only a few specks of light scattered about like distant stars, providing a faint glimmer.
As he took a slow step forward, ripples spread across the invisible floor.
And in the void of a sky, a single, large word hung: "Break."
There was nothing else.
Shen Daoxing glanced from side to side, wondering what kind of trial this floor held.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
The sound of heavy footsteps rang out.
Shen Daoxing looked up toward the sound and saw Ge Ye slowly approaching from a short distance away.
"Mr. Ge."
Surprised to see him, Shen Daoxing stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
Beside him, Dugu Sheng also stepped forward and gave a slight bow.
Ge Ye’s gaze swept over the two of them as he spoke calmly, "Congratulations on reaching the eighth floor of the Huangliang Tomb. Over the past thousand years, very few prodigies have ever made it to this floor, and not a single one has ever passed it. This is the first time two people have ascended together."